Superintendent's Message
December 29, 2021
Dear Families:
Happy Wednesday! I share a few updates about COVID protocols and reminders of opportunities for pool testing and vaccinations.
COVID Positive 5 Day Isolation
In accordance with today’s DPH and DESE information, we will follow the CDC guideline for all individuals testing positive after December 23:
If You Test Positive for COVID-19 (Isolate) Regardless of Vaccination Status:
- Stay home for 5 days
- If you have no symptoms or your symptoms are resolving after 5 days, you can leave your house.
- Continue to wear a mask around others for 5 additional days.
If you have a fever, continue to stay home until your fever resolves.
COVID Vaccine Clinic
Ages 5 and up
Thursday, January 6
4-9 p.m.
Concord-Carlisle High School
Register for an appointment:
https://home.color.com/ vaccine/register/purpleshield? calendar=c20a6c06-e5fa-4240- a952-9e74f871f6ee
Pool Testing
We expect to pool test as many students as possible on Monday. It is an enormous resource that can assist us in managing the surge. If you have not given consent to test your child we urge you to consider participating. You can enroll your child at: Electronic Consent Form
Staff Masks and Antigen Tests
As you may have heard through the media, we are very fortunate to benefit from state provided KN95 masks and antigen tests for all staff that will be distributed prior to our return on Monday.
Close Contacts and Contact Tracing
The state notified us today that DESE and DPH are reviewing the CDC guidance. They will have updates to school districts by the weekend.
Please continue to use the COVID email account during the break as needed: covid@concordps.org
Current district case counts are available in real time on the COVID Dashboard.
Have a great night!
Best,
Laurie
December 27, 2021
Dear Families:
I hope this finds you enjoying the holiday week. I have two brief COVID updates to share.
Concord Mask Mandate
As of tonight at midnight, all public places in Concord must adhere to a newly voted mask mandate. The details are found here: Concord Mask Mandate 12.27.21
CDC Quarantine and Close Contact Recommendations
The CDC just modified its quarantine and close contact guidelines. I expect the Department of Public Health and Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to provide updates to the schools as the week evolves which will inform our protocols for the new year.
Please continue to use the COVID email account as needed: covid@concordps.org
Current district case counts are available in real time on the COVID Dashboard.
We will share updated information later in the week as we have it. Enjoy the slower pace of the week off!
Best,
Laurie
December 23, 2021
Good Afternoon,
Welcome to the break! We hope you enjoy the slower pace and time together.
You are not surprised to hear that we are seeing a marked uptick in COVID cases. This week, we have had a total of 31 cases so far with 10 of those coming today. The COVID Data Dashboard is live and will be continually updated throughout the vacation week. Expecting January will bring further spikes in cases, we are revisiting our protocols to be proactive:
- Return to 3′ distance in classrooms where possible with students not facing each other
- Restrict access to school to those exposed to a positive case in their homes regardless of vaccination status (staff and students)
- Return to wiping of desks regularly and in between classes at CMS and CCHS
Other measures can have significant impact on our school environment as well.
- Participate in pool testing. It is an enormous resource that can assist us in managing the surge. If you have not given consent to test your child, you can do so at any time: Electronic Consent Form
- Symptomatic individuals should stay home until a negative PCR is received and symptoms subside.
Our goal is to have as little disruption as possible to normal school schedules which is why pooled testing and staying home when sick are so important. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is clear that closing school can occur in two situations:
- consultation and permission from DESE and DPH due to a spike which could allow for a classroom, grade level or school to go remote
- superintendent discussion to use a “snow day” that needs to be made up at the end of the year
Several districts are using the snow day approach to manage testing or large case numbers. We are going to take this a day at a time and see what the needs are and determine the best response. Given that we did not close at all last year, it is absolutely the hope we maintain that same consistency.
Should you have COVID questions, cases to report or information to share, please use the COVID email account during the vacation as it will be monitored regularly since the administrators and nurses will be on well-deserved vacations.
COVID Email Account: covid@concordps.org
Thank you for the ongoing and collaborative support. Have a wonderful week!
Best,
Laurie
December 22, 2021
Dear Families:
We are again hosting a vaccine clinic at CCHS on January 6 thanks to the arrangements made by the local health officials. The clinic is open to everyone in the community over age 5. The details to make an appointment are found below.
Best,
Laurie
COVID Vaccine Clinic
Ages 5 and up
Thursday, January 6
4-9 p.m.
Concord-Carlisle High School
Register for an appointment:
https://home.color.com/vaccine/register/purpleshield?calendar=c20a6c06-e5fa-4240-a952-9e74f871f6ee
December 19, 2021
Dear Families:
Welcome to the last school days of 2021!
This Week’s Spotlight
This week, I highlight the dedication of our amazing school bus drivers. In times when the National Guard has been called up to drive children to school, we are so very grateful for their commitment to our students. It is important to share their contributions to the fabric of our district beyond driving itself. Throughout the pandemic, their willingness to support the schools during the middle of the day led to a large number of them serving as student supervisors. Without this support, it would have been impossible to cover the changes to the lunch program and beyond. They have also engaged in our work in equity and cultural competency as seen in the photo below during The Playbook Initiative Training at the middle school last spring. Many of the drivers have very extended careers. Among the longest was Linda Robbins pictured below who retired last year after 47 years! We hope that you will join us in thanking them for their service to our children. I would be remiss not to share appreciation for Transportation Manager John Arena who makes it all happen day in and day out!
School Security
The schools have a comprehensive Emergency Response Manual that includes security practices. In the early days of COVID some of these were on hold since, at times, they directly conflicted with the COVID protocols. We are actively reviewing and again prioritizing these practices. Teachers will participate in refreshers early in 2022. We are also exploring a communication app that would allow for immediate and easily accessible emergency information. Please watch for additional information in further updates.
Concord Middle School Project
On Thursday night, the Public Hearing for the proposed Concord Middle School was held. If you would like to hear the presentations that focused on building design, sustainability and solar energy, and taxpayer impact, the link to the Hearing is posted here. Additional information about the project is found on the Concord Middle School Building Project website.
Update Children’s Room Opening Concord Free Public Library
Please see this linked update from the Concord Free Public Library about the new date to open the new children’s room.
COVID Updates
In the last week, we had 6 positive COVID cases for a total of 81:
1 Alcott student
1 Willard student
1 Willard staff
2 CMS students
1 CCHS student
We also had adult cases today at Ripley and CCHS.
The COVID Dashboard will be updated throughout the week.
Please use the COVID email account over the vacation for all COVID-related communication. The administrators and nurses will not be checking email regularly.
COVID Email Account: covid@concordps.org
Have a wonderful week and vacation with friends and family!
Best,
LaurieDecember 19, 2021
Dear Families:
Welcome to the last school days of 2021!
This Week’s Spotlight
This week, I highlight the dedication of our amazing school bus drivers. In times when the National Guard has been called up to drive children to school, we are so very grateful for their commitment to our students. It is important to share their contributions to the fabric of our district beyond driving itself. Throughout the pandemic, their willingness to support the schools during the middle of the day led to a large number of them serving as student supervisors. Without this support, it would have been impossible to cover the changes to the lunch program and beyond. They have also engaged in our work in equity and cultural competency as seen in the photo below during The Playbook Initiative Training at the middle school last spring. Many of the drivers have very extended careers. Among the longest was Linda Robbins pictured below who retired last year after 47 years! We hope that you will join us in thanking them for their service to our children. I would be remiss not to share appreciation for Transportation Manager John Arena who makes it all happen day in and day out!
School Security
The schools have a comprehensive Emergency Response Manual that includes security practices. In the early days of COVID some of these were on hold since, at times, they directly conflicted with the COVID protocols. We are actively reviewing and again prioritizing these practices. Teachers will participate in refreshers early in 2022. We are also exploring a communication app that would allow for immediate and easily accessible emergency information. Please watch for additional information in further updates.
Concord Middle School Project
On Thursday night, the Public Hearing for the proposed Concord Middle School was held. If you would like to hear the presentations that focused on building design, sustainability and solar energy, and taxpayer impact, the link to the Hearing is posted here. Additional information about the project is found on the Concord Middle School Building Project website.
Update Children’s Room Opening Concord Free Public Library
Please see this linked update from the Concord Free Public Library about the new date to open the new children’s room.
COVID Updates
In the last week, we had 6 positive COVID cases for a total of 81:
1 Alcott student
1 Willard student
1 Willard staff
2 CMS students
1 CCHS student
We also had adult cases today at Ripley and CCHS.
The COVID Dashboard will be updated throughout the week.
Please use the COVID email account over the vacation for all COVID-related communication. The administrators and nurses will not be checking email regularly.
COVID Email Account: covid@concordps.org
Have a wonderful week and vacation with friends and family!
Best,
Laurie
December 16, 2021
Dear Families,
Earlier today, we became aware of a troubling post that has been shared widely this week on the social media platform TikTok. The post refers to a threat to school safety “for every school in the USA, even elementary,” on Friday, December 17.
The post appears to be part of a national TikTok trend and did not originate in our school district. We have heard reports from other districts that the same post is circulating in their schools. While we do not believe the threat to be credible, we are closely monitoring the situation and taking it seriously.
Additionally, the district has been in contact with the Concord Police Department regarding the post. We may have an increased police presence around our buildings on Friday as an added precaution.
This situation serves as a good example of why it is important to avoid sharing posts online that refer to school safety threats. Even if they are not credible threats, they can cause a great deal of stress and anxiety for our students, families, and staff. We ask our families to monitor their children’s social media activity and speak with them about proper behavior online.
If you or your child become aware of any potential threat posted to social media or anywhere else, please notify a school staff member or trusted adult right away.
As always, thank you for your partnership as we work to ensure a safe, secure, and positive learning environment for our students. I am also grateful for the partnership with the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents who crafted much of this letter for superintendents in the Commonwealth so we could share it in as timely a way as possible.
Best,
Laurie
December 12, 2021
Dear Families:
I hope you had a wonderful weekend! It is a busy time of year both in and outside of the schools.
This Week’s Spotlight
Environmental Sustainability
We are committed to making environmental sustainability our way of operating and by providing experiences to students, inside and outside of the classroom.
The new middle school project is focused on being highly sustainable. Last week’s forum on that topic was recorded and is posted here. In addition, a Sustainability Subcommittee of the Concord Middle School Building Committee meets regularly and has discussed a myriad of topics which are found on the Sustainability Subcommittee’s webpage.
Students are engaged in multiple clubs at both CMS and CCHS including The Green Team who proposed a pollinator garden that is now active.
At a recent School Committee meeting, we heard an update from student representative Darcy Keenan-Mills about the many sustainability efforts at CCHS. Darcy shares at the very beginning of the November 30, 2021 School Committee meeting. The recording is posted here.
The pandemic slowed our efforts but we are restoring composting to the schools. Counter to that is biking to school which soared since the beginning of COVID. A District Sustainability Committee allows us connections to the many community groups and to be part of Concord’s sustainability goals. We look forward to sharing ongoing updates.
Equity Survey and Focus Group Updates
1) There will be an equity survey focus group make-up session for Concord families PreK-12, and Carlisle families with children at CCHS tomorrow Monday, December 13th from 3pm-4pm on Zoom. If you’d like to participate, please RSVP at your earliest convenience.
2) Additionally, we would like to invite interested middle and high school students to participate in an equity survey focus group on Monday, December 13th from 7pm-8pm on Zoom. If your child is interested in participating, please have them RSVP at their earliest convenience.
Please contact Andrew Nyamekye at anyamekye@concordps.org, if you have any questions or concerns.
Minuteman Media Network and School Programs
We are very fortunate to have a close partnership with Minuteman Media Network who records, posts, and live streams some of our student activities. Among those most recently are a number of the extraordinary music concerts that returned in person. Last week, a number of concerts were live streamed. Most or all are recorded and posted for future viewing and run on the local cable stations. Posted currently is the November 2, 2021, CCHS choral concert which is found here. I hope you will enjoy the gifts of these talented young people. We will keep you aware of future postings as well.
U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory Protecting Youth Mental Health
Last week, the U.S. Surgeon General’s Office publishing an important advisory: Protecting Youth Mental Health. The report outlines the increase in mental health issues due to the pandemic while noting that a crisis existed pre-COVID. Please take the time to read the report. Among our strategic goals is destigmatizing mental health needs. With so many children requiring assistance, it must be a topic we discuss openly. If your child is in need, please do not hesitate to contact a counselor at your child’s school.
Senior Citizens Wanted
Partners in Rhyme is a partnership between CCHS ninth-grade students and senior citizens from Concord Carlisle to read and share poetry together. The program is in need of additional senior citizen volunteers for the session that starts in January: January 4, 11, 18, 25, Feb 1, 8 from 8-9 am on zoom. Contact Patti Russo to register: pattirusso317@gmail.com or 978-314-8659.
Concord Middle School Project Public Hearing
A public hearing will be held on Thursday, December 16 at 7 pm regarding the middle school project. Additional information is found here.
COVID Update
Last week, we saw 5 cases bringing the total to 75 since the beginning of the year.
1 Thoreau student
1 Willard staff
1 CMS staff
2 CCHS students
The COVID Dashboard will be updated throughout the week. We now encourage all 16 and 17 year olds to get a booster shot and ensure additional protection against the virus.
Have a wonderful week!
Best,
Laurie
December 5, 2021
Dear Families:
I hope you had a great weekend with the cold sunshine in place!
This Week’s Spotlight
Giving Back
Among the strengths of our community is the willingness to give back to others. That is found regularly throughout all of the schools as we look to engage students in those efforts and understand how they can contribute. In fact, it happens so often that it is impossible to highlight every event so I share just a few from this Fall:
The CCHS Interact Club raised $470 for Sleep in Heavenly Peace to purchase beds for families which was matched by the Rotary Club of Concord in part through this pie eating contest at Verrill Farm! Thanks to CCHS teachers Agatha Wozniak and Steve Lane for their prize-winning pie-eating performances!
Willard students read the most books in the Concord Free Public Library‘s summer program leading to a $200 donation to The Nature Connection.
Alcott was able to return to its annual Thanksgiving Turkey Trot this year. All donations go to Open Table. Thank you for making it another very successful event!
DEI December Newsletter from the DEI Director
Dear Families: Here’s the DEI Newsletter for December. Thank you to everyone who has contributed a resource or highlight for this month’s newsletter. If you come across any content on the newsletter that you may have a question or concern about, please do not hesitate to contact Andrew K. Nyamekye at anyamekye@concordps.org.
Concord Middle School Building Project Information
Recording of December 1 Community Forum
A recording of last week’s information forum is found here if you missed it and want to catch up on progress.
Panel Discussion: Sustainability in the Middle School Building Project
Wednesday, December 8, 7:00pm at the CMS Peabody Building
Join the Middle School Building Committee and a panel of experts to discuss Sustainability in the new building design.
Our three Panelists will be Matt Root, Sustainable Design Professional and Sustainability Subcommittee Chair on the Middle School Building Committee; Martine Dion, Sustainable Design Director at SMMA; and Jake Swenson, Chair of Concord’s Climate Action Advisory Board (CAAB).
The discussion will be moderated by Dawn Guarriello, Co-Chair of the Middle School Building Committee and also a school architect in her professional life. Dawn will ask the panel a series of questions regarding sustainability in the proposed design of the new middle school and will then open the floor to questions from the audience.
As this event will be in person, masks will be required for all attendees. Thank you and we hope to see you there!
Additional information about the project is found on the CMS Building Website Project
Adult and Community Education
Concord Carlisle Adult and Community Education operate under the regional school district’s umbrella. In addition to music lessons and driver’s education, there are programs for everyone. The winter session is just starting so we encourage you to peruse the offerings. They are found here on the Concord Carlisle Adult and Community Education webpage.
COVID Updates
In the last week, we had 8 positive COVID cases for a total of 70:
1 Willard student
3 CMS students
2 CMS staff
1 Alcott staff
1 CCHS student
The COVID Dashboard will be updated throughout the week. We will continue to monitor transmission rates as necessary.
Have a wonderful start to the week!
Best,
Laurie